Blizzard are moving towards a homogenized game with less unique buffs but rather classified buffs, (into something like 30 groups), unique abilities will remain (Rebirth, Innervate, Blessing of Kings, Fortitude) yet we move towards the goal of all classes being viable (and competitive) in a raid and removing the stigma attached to being a lower DPS hybrid (Shadow Priests, Ret Paladins, Feral Druids, etc). Many of the Pure classes see this as a bad thing (why play a pure class that can only do 1 role if a hybrid does it just as well), and many of the hybrids look forward to being chosen based on skill and play rather than because they bring 1 buff to the raid.

Whats your view, do you fear the reaper, is the homogenization of classes a bad thing if it makes us all more viable or does it remove the uniqueness, should all tanks be equal, should a pure dps complain about hybrid classes gaining dps since they have viable other trees?

The blog community is widespread, and I am sure we have all looked at another class and said "I wish I had", or "its easier for" or "they always get raid slots", so what does it mean to you.

Looking from myself I see it as a positive, I want to see all the tanks being equal in the game, giving us all a shot at boss tanking, and all a decent chance in other tanks niche fights (without totally removing the niches). I like the idea of no longer having to tell a ret pally or a shaman that I can't take them to MgT because I need a CC class for the 3rd boss. The shared buffs impact is partially annoying due to the nature of my class (Buff bot ftw ) however in so doing it means as a raid leader I can actually build a raid thats going to be as effective from what I have rather than worrying that I can't get a key buff because its so restricted, of course the unique buffs are still a nice touch, there should always be a reason to take someone, but it doesn't have to be so pronounced as it is now (Warrior for RoS, mage for maulgar [though in saying that I tanked the mage, maulgar, the shaman and the pet ], lock for leo [again can be tanked now by any FR tank]). I see the flexibility and options as a good thing, because it means my friends are punished for rolling a class they like, and I get to be a MT without having to fight my class mechanics to do so.

I'm a shadow priest, and I've been guaranteed a raid spot since I hit 70, simply because I brought a buff that was necessary. My gear and skill meant next to nothing - even if I stunk, I'd still be in the raid. (Why yes, I did start post-BC >.>)

So now, I'll have to fight for my raid spot. And that's a good thing. I've seen the same classes have to sit out time and time again because the raid needed to be filled up with necessary buffs/debuffs. Now, the people who are in the raid will be there because they're good, not because their class is necessary.

Personally, I haven't run into the problem of being left out of a raid due to buffs. I am in a casual guild that raids, which means if enough people can make it, we raid, if not, we do something else. Other than the required number of healers and tanks, we have no rules as to who can go and who can not go. We run with what we have available to us and we do just fine and have a good time doing it.

Other than tanks and healers (who will almost always be guaranteed their raid slot) there is no reason a player should be guaranteed a raid slot just because of their class and/or spec. If there are 5 hunters wanting to go on a Kara run, 1 of them should not be guaranteed a slot just because they are Survival specced and provide EW. The same with Shadow Priests getting a spot simply because they are the mana battery.

At its worst, Blizzard's new stance on raid buffs will help guilds like mine and do no harm to hardcore 25-man guilds. At best, it still helps guilds like mine, and offers more flexibility to the hardcore guilds. I see this as a win-win situation. So what if some people lose their guaranteed raid slot because someone else can provide the same buff. That just means that they will have to work harder and become a better player to get their raid slot.

I like it for the raiding aspect as well. More classes are being brought along on raids and now when people role toons they don't have to worry about avoiding their favorite class because they get no raid time. I believe Blizz gives us plenty of ways to be individual, and am a happy little dwarf because of it. Yay more raiding!--Davlin:Dhttp://heroesofthealliance.wordpress.com

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